The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Chaplain’s Corps) Francis L. Sampson (ASN: 0-471891), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as a Chaplain with Service Company, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, in action against enemy forces on 6 and 7 June 1944, at Balise Addeville, France. On the afternoon of D-Day a small force of parachute infantry was forced to evacuate its position to the enemy’s advance. Chaplain Sampson, though strongly urged otherwise, elected to remain behind with fourteen seriously wounded men. When the enemy seized the position Chaplain Sampson immediately made his presence known so that no attack would be made on the wounded men. Granted permission to remain with the wounded, he valiantly struggled in the face of the most hazardous and difficult conditions to keep the men alive. On the second night during an artillery barrage which lasted four hours and virtually demolished the house, he administered blood plasma and aid to the wounded. As three shells hit the building he threw his body across the wounded to protect them. He made numerous trips across a shell-swept courtyard to ascertain the condition of one of the most seriously wounded men. When a shell destroyed the adjacent room, fatally injuring the two men therein, he went immediately to their assistance and attempted to dig them out from the debris. He suffered a second-degree burn from a tracer bullet but continued to care for the wounded. In the morning, after the Germans left the vicinity, an evacuation party arrived. Assured that the living wounded were evacuated to the division hospital, Chaplain Sampson proceeded to the same hospital where he gave a seriously wounded man a liter of blood and spent the remainder of the day and night rendering physical and spiritual aid to the wounded. The courage, fortitude, and heroism displayed by Chaplain Sampson are worthy of emulation. His extraordinary heroism, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 101st Airborne Division, and the United States Army.